On the outskirts of Kenya´s capital Nairobi, lies a serene hilly town known as Ngong within Kajiado County. It is well known for its punishing hike trails and its unforgiving seven hills for those who love mountain climbing. It also attracts both local and international tourists for its scenery including a popular picnic site within the Kenya Electricity Generating Company, wind power station. It is in this beautiful backdrop that a monster called Terry Krieger was arrested in October 2014 by the Kenya Police with the investigative help of the American Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and INTERPOL for possession of indecent images of children and sharing child pornography online with an international child pornography ring.

The indecent images that formed the basis of the evidence were intercepted by Interpol in Germany and the United States and then traced the IP address to Tory Krieger. The images depicted him filming himself sexually abusing children as young as three years, taking their photographs in sexually explicit acts and then sharing them with his network of fellow pedophiles. Krieger, who was a registered sex offender had served 13 years of jail time in America for similar crimes. Upon his release from an American Jail in Michigan, he moved to Kenya where he settled in the foothills of Ngong.

Two months after his arrest, in December 2014, Krieger chose not to go to trial and pled guilty to all charges due to the overwhelming evidence presented before court. Nairobi Principal Magistrate Joseph Karanja sentenced him to 50 years in jail. In his sentencing, the presiding Magistrate said he was shocked at the despicable acts the accused performed on innocent children. He noted that Krieger had robbed young children of their innocence and it was disturbing that these criminal acts had been going on for long undetected. Before the magistrate delivered his verdict, Krieger pleaded for a light sentence claiming he was reliant on a wheelchair and therefore vulnerable. His request was thrown out.

In November 2022, Krieger was released by a higher court in Nairobi presided over by Justice Momanyi Bwonwongá , who retired in March 2023—Krieger had ONLY served 8 years of his 50-year jail term.

His release came as a shocker to I as an activist who campaigned to ensure he got the maximum sentence allowable. To make his release even more sinister, the activists involved and the presiding prosecutor who handled the case did not know he had been freed until 26th June 2023, 8 months after he was set free.

Terry Krieger, a perpetual offender, and convicted pedophile is now free and living in another serene area at the outskirts of Nairobi called Kitengela where he is back to his old habits. The Kenyan Judicial service released a child rapist back to society.

This is just one example that makes me question whether Kenya is sending a message to the world that we condone and harbor pedophiles who can rape our children and get away with it. It must be noted that Terry Krieger would never have been arrested or exposed were it not for INTERPOL intercepting his sick images that he was sharing with his networks in Germany and the USA. He lived among us undetected, taking advantage of our children.

I contacted the prosecutor presiding over the case and did an online campaign demanding answers from our Judiciary. The story has since been covered in local media and the prosecutor has demanded answers from the concerned court.

Though the Judge retired a few months ago, I am hopeful that the steps taken so far will kickstart the process of getting Terry Krieger back where he belongs, in jail, serving the rest of his term.

I will continue to fight until Justice is done.

WRITTEN BY WANJERI NDERU, PRESIDENT ISHR KENYA